A company that actually cares about its employees and customers. - Buyer/Senior Buyer CarMax Employee Review

5.0
May 2, 2009
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Honest company with high ethical standards and a high level of integrity. This is a company that stakes its name and reputation on the quality of vehicles sold and also on a high level of customer service. While the company is not free of faults, more often then not you will encounter friendly customer service, engaged associates, and competent, honest employees that take pride in the company they work for and the work that they do. This is demonstrated through the annual surveys that are completed and administered by a third party company. Carmax has consistantly been ranked one of the top 100 places to work by Fortune. This is truly an impressive achievement based on the nature of the very business that Carmax is in: Retail sales - used vehicle sales in particular! Don't forget, Carmax was the company that truly revolutionized the way people buy cars. Not only specifically when people shop at Carmax but also when customers choose to shop elsewhere. Other "Traditional Dealerships" have been forced to go to the fixed pricing model due to the overwhelming success that Carmax has had. One of the reasons that Carmax has been so successful is due to the fact that the company was built from the ground up based on the concept of no-haggle pricing, customer service, and quality vehicles guaranteed. Dealerships like AutoNation and the like have tried to modify existing dealerships to compete and have failed due to that fact. When you look at the entire compensation package, I think that you'll find average salaries/wages paid, average to above average benefits (401k match, stock grants, stock purchase plan, healthcare) with one exception; employee vehicle purchase program. As an employee you are able to purchase several vehicles per year at slighlty above cost for yourself and immediate family. This proves to be a significant benefit due to the fact that you can purchase these vehicles for thousands less than you could otherwise.

Cons

You can make some people happy all of the time, all people happy some of the time, but you can t make all people happy all the time. There will always be some associates that are unhappy no matter where you look, and the majority of them typically take out their frustrations in a forum such as this for many different reasons. There are certainly situations that could be handled better, managers that could be more sensative and understanding, however the company leadership is interested in receiving feedback and attempting to develop associates and address any concerns raised. Many times people are quick to point a finger at "poor management" or to display concerns of not being treated fairly. My philosophy is that you don't express your concern for something that isn't being handled properly unless you can also offer a solution. The question you have to ask is have you done everything in your power to address the issue? Have you voiced your opinion to management through the proper channels? Have you confronted those that you feel are not performing as they should?

Explore other reviews about CarMax

5.0
May 3, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

You are your own boss

Cons

Slow days can be demotivating.

4.0
Jun 13, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The perks of working at CarMax are quite extensive. Associates are offered an aggressive 401k program, Stock Purchasing Plan, in store discounts on sales and service, access to the CarMax Wholesale system, excellent healthcare, plenty of PTO, and at my location we are given as much OT as we want. My coworkers are generally good people, that I enjoy being able to work along side day in and day out. Management is very understanding in regards to calling out sick family emergencies, and schedule requests.

Cons

Despite doing the work of 5 people, and very politely asking for a raise management will not give me more than my 3% annual raise which is the single biggest let down. The bonus change of 2025 being labeled as "exciting" was straight corporate gaslighting unlike anything I've ever seen. Since the start of 2026, as of this review being written we have lost 7 associates largely due to pay, and I am soon to join those associates. Management from the store level up to corporate needs to understand that to retain their top performers they need to be compensated like a top performer. Some members of management are cliquey and moody which is very frustrating to deal with. Quality of Management varies wildly from store to store as well

See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All